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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. club — for golf
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com